Strand working apparatus



May 24, 1932. H. BLOUN T 1,360,070

STRAND WORKING APPARATUS I Filed June 29, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet l May 24, 1932. H. BLOUNT 0 1,860,070

STRAND WORKING APPARATUS I Filed June 29, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 of a wire drawing apparatus.

' take-up mechanisms Patented May 24, 1932 HARRY BLOUNT, OF OAK PARK, ILLINOIS,

PANY, INCORPORATED, OF NEW YORK,

ASSIGNOR TO WESTERN ELECTRIC COM- N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK STRAND WORKING APPARATUS Application filed June 29,

This invention relates to strand working apparatus, and more particularly to a device for producing an excess of wire to relieve tension of the wire on the drawing capstan In some types of wire drawing machines the wire is drawn continuously by capstans through a series of dies interposed between the capstans and idlers associated therewith and the finished wire is pulled onto a positively driven coiling drum or take-up reel, which upon becoming filled with drawn wire is replaced by an empty reel. Heretofore in some instances to accomplish the changing of reels the take-up mechanism and the wire drawing capstans were both stopped, or the whereby the wire was permitted to $111) on the surface of the rotating capstans. The stoppin and starting of the entire machine required considerable time and caused a waste of power, while the friction of the taut wire slipping on the capstan tended to wear grooves in the capstan surface and abrade the wire.

The object of this invention is to provide a device for releasing tension in a strand simultaneously at a plurality of separated points during the working thereof by a strand working apparatus by creating slack in the strand.

In accordance with the general features of this invention there is provided in one embodiment thereof as applied to wire drawing machines of the type hereinbefore re.- ferred to, a wire slackening device wherein each series of a plurality of sets of idlers is supported upon an'eccentric portion of an individual rotatable shaft, the shafts being rotated simultaneously to decrease the distance between the axes ofrotation of the idlers mounted thereon and their respective series of drawing capstans by a common motive fluid means acting through a pair of racks and pinions individual to each idler shaft, for producing slackness in the wire without necessitating the stopping of the drawing capstans to replace a loaded take-up reel.

Other objects and advantages of this inthe idler shafts to alone was stopped,

1929. Serial N'O. 374,886.

vention will more fully appear from the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in

which Fig. l is a fragmentary elevational view, partly in section, of a wire drawing machine embodying the features of this invention;

Fig. 2' is an enlarged fragmentary view of Fig. 1 showing in detail the means for moving simultaneously the eccentric portions of produce slack in the strand, and

Fig. 3 is a vertical detail section taken on the line 3-3 ofFig. 2. I

Referring now to the drawings in detail wherein like reference numerals indicate similar parts throughout the several views, and particularly to Fig. 1, a bed or base plate 10 supports a housing 11 provided with an 0 ening 12 in its front wall which is close I by sultable inwardly opening doors during the operation of the plify the disclosure the doors have not been illustrated in the drawings, since they are not necessary to a complete understanding of this invention. Within the housing 11 forward of a vertical wall 13 (Fig. 3) separating the wire'drawing compartment proper from'a rear compartment enclosing certain elements to be presently described, is the wire drawing apparatus. The wire drawing appair of conical shaped ing a series of steps 17 gradually increasing in diameter, an individual series of idler sheaves 18 of a uniform diameter associated with each of the capstans 14 and arranged directly thereabove in horizontal alignment witheach other, and a pair of die shelves 19, one positioned between each of the capstans 14 and its associated series of idler sheaves 18. The capstans 14 are each secured to individual rotatable shafts 20 journaled within the housing 11 and are driven by a suitable source of power (not shown).

wherein the details of the mountin of one machine. In order to sim- Referring particularly to Figs. 2 and 3 the wall 13 and a bracket 26, respective] ,the latter being supported upon ahorizonta wall 27 extending rearwardly from the wall 13. One end of the shaft 21 has an eccentric integi a'l. portion 28 extending. forwardly and to theleft from the wall 13, as viewedin 1 and 3, respectively, upon which the seriesof idler sheaves 18 are rotatably mounted. I The shafts 21 are each slightly inclined, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 3. for the purpose of causing the wire during the drawing operation to constantly shift upon the peripheral surfaces of the capstans 14 to provide a more even wear thereon. Upon the end of the shaft 21 opposite to the eccentric end portion 28 is fixed a gear pinion 31 which meshes with a horizontally extending rack bar 32 reciprocably mounted in a guide channel 33 formed in the bracket 26. Supported on a bracket 34 (Fig. 2) mounted on the horizontal wall 27 intermediate the shafts 21 is a cylinder 35 having a piston 36 therein, shown in dotted outline. A piston rod is fixed to the piston 36 and opposite end portions 37 and 38 thereof are suitably fixed to the inner ends of the rack bars 32, as viewed in Fig. 2. A source of motive fluid (not shown), for example, compressed air, for actuating the piston 36 of the cylinder 35 is connected thereto through a supply pipe 40 a four-way control valve 41 of any suitable type and connections 42 and 43 from the valve to opposite ends of the cylinder 35, the exhaust air from either end of the cylinder escaping through one of the connections 42 and43, through the valve and out a pipe 44. It will be understood that by operating a control handle 45 of the valve 41 compressed air can be admitted either at the right or left ends, as viewed in Figs. 1 and 2 of the cylinder 35 to reciprocate the iston 36 and thereby the piston rod portions 37 and 38 as desired.

A movement of the piston rod portions 37 and 38 acting through the rack bars 32 and pinions 31, it will be apparent, will cause a rotary movement to be given simultaneously and of an equal amount to each of the shafts 21 and thereby revolve the eccentric portion 28 thereof through an arc of 180 to position the axis of rotation of the idler sheaves 18 at either of the upper or lower positions designated as 47 and 48, depending on the direction of movement of the pis ton. The-piston rod portions 37 and 38 are shown at'the end of a movement toward the left, as viewed in Figs. 1 and 2, in which position the eccentric portions 28 are at their uppermost position 47, which is the position they assume during the drawing of wire, providing the greatest distance possible between the axes of rotation of the capstans 14 and the idler sheaves 18.

With the eccentric portions 28 of the shafts 21 positioned as last mentioned a series of reducing dies 49 are strung at predetermined intervals upon a wire or rod 50 to be drawn and entered through a suitable aperture (not shown) in the left end wall of the housing 11, as viewed in Fig. 1. The wire 50 is then wrapped around the smallest step 17 of the left capstan 14 and thence around the associated idler sheave of the left group 18, and the first of the series of reducing dies 49, previously strung upon the wire, is positioned in the associated left die shelf 19, the wire then being wrapped around the next capstan step 17. This method of stringing the wire 50 and positioning the dies 49 strung thereon is continued until the wire has been associated with each successive step 17 of the left capstan l4 and its respective idler sheave 18 positioned thereabove. From the largest step 17 of the left capstan 14 the wire 50 is passed upwardly and over a single idler sheave 51 and thence to the right around the idler sheave of the right group 18 which is positioned above the smallest step 17 of the right capstan 14. The wire is then wrapped around this last mentioned capstan step 17 and thence around the next idler sheave of the right group 18, the

next of the reducing dies 49 then being positioned in the associated right die shelf 19.

After associating the wire 50 with each successive step 17 of the right capstan 14 and its respective idler sheave 18 and positioning the final reducing die 49in the right die shelf 19, the wire is passed over the last idler sheave 18 and through a suitable a erture (not shown) in the right end wall 0 the housing 11 and to a positively driven take-up or reeling mechanism of any suitable type (not shown). The take-up mechanism and the capstans 14 ma then be set in motion in any usual and suita le way and the finished wire 50 drawn through the last die 49 positioned in the right die shelf 19 is wound upon the take-up reel.

Upon the reel becoming fall it may be replaced with an empty one without the necessity of stopping the continuously rotating ca stans 14 in the following manner: The ta e-up mechanism is stopped by the operator and immediately thereafter the control handle 45 of the valve 41 is moved to the position-shown by dotted lines in Fig. 1, whereupon compressed air from the supply pipe 40 passes through the valve and released into the connection 43 and against the left end of the piston 36 positioned at the left end of the cylinder 35, forcing the piston to the right end thereof. This movement of the piston 36 in the manner hereinbefore described rotates simultaneously and an equal amount each of the shafts 21 so that the eccentric portions 28 thereof will be revolved 180, thcrcby positioning the axes of rotation of the two sets of idler sheaves 18 at their lowermost position 48, thereby decreasing the distance between the axes of the capstans 14 and the idler ill) sheaves 18 and creating slack or the loosening of the wire on the revolving capstans. The drawing of the wire 50 is thus stopped, permitting the operator to replace the full reel with an empty one, and since the wire is loose on the rotating .capstans 14 there is no danger of abrading the wire or cutting grooves in the moving surfaces of the capstans. The wire drawing operation may then be continued, the take-up mechanism being started and the wire 50, beginning at the final reducing die 49 positioned in the right die shelf 19, is pulled tight onv each successive step 17 of the capstans 14 so that the load is taken up slowly. Following this the control handle 45 of the valve 41 is moved back to its full line position and compressed air is released into the connection 42 and against the right end of the piston 36, forcing the latter to the left end of the cylinder 35 and thus through the connections previously described gradually moving the sheaves 18 to their uppermost position 47 to increase the distance between the capstans 14 and the idler sheaves 18 and resetting the device whereby slack can he again produced in the wire 50.

By means of this invention it will be ap-' parent'it is not necessary to sto tinuously rotating capstans 14 an upon the take-up mechanism again being started the wire is gradually tautened on each successive step of the capstans 14, thereb eliminating the necessity of providing a igh starting torque, thereby permitting a smaller motor to be used and considerable economy in time is involved in permitting the capstans to revolve rather than by stopping and starting them for each operation of replacing the take-up reel.

Although the invention as herein illustrated and described is particularly applicable to the drawing of wire, it should be understood that the novel features thereof are capable of other applications and modifications without departing from the spirit and scope thereof as defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a strand working apparatus a strand working means, a capstan for moving the strand throughthe strand working means, a plurality of rotatable shafts, each having an end portion eccentric to the axis thereof, a

sheave for guiding the strand to and from the capstan and rotatable on each of the eccentric portions, a common reciprocable member operatively engaged with each of the shafts for rotating them simultaneously to change the center of rotation of the sheaves to produce slack in the strand.

2. In a strand working apparatus, a series of capstans, a plurali'ty of rotatable shafts, each aving an end portion eccentric to the axis thereof, a series of sheaves for guiding the strand to and from the capstans rotatable on each of theeccentric portions, and motive the 0011 .the same rotary direction fluid means including a piston operatively engaged with each of the shafts for rotating them simultaneously to increase or decrease the space between the sheaves and the simultaneously to change the center of rota- 4 tion of the sheaves to produce slack in the strand.

4. In a strand working apparatus, a plurality of rotatable shafts, each having an end portion eccentric to the axis thereof, a sheave carried upon each of the eccentric portions and over which the strand travels, means for drawing the strand, and common means connected with each shaft for simultaneously rotating the shafts and m'ovin the sheaves in or varying the distance between the sheaves and the drawing means to control slack in tlm strand.

5. In a strand working apparatus, a plurality of rotatable shafts, each having an integral end portion eccentric to the axis there of and over which the strand travels, means for drawing the strand, and common means connected with each shaft for simultaneously rotating the shafts and moving the sheaves equal amounts in the same rotary direction for varying the distances in equal amounts between the sheaves and the drawing means tp control slack in the strand.

6. In a strand working apparatus, a plurality of capstans each rotatable on an individual axis, a plurality of shafts each with an integral end portion eccentric to the axis thereof, a plurality of idler sheaves for guiding the strand to and from the capstans and rotatable on each of the eccentric port-ions, a strand working means intermediate each capstan and its associated idler sheaves, and common means connected with each shaft for simultaneously rotating the shafts and moving thexsheaves equal amounts in the same rotary direction to vary in equal amounts the distances between the sheaves and their asso-' 

